I Think We're Alone Now
by oceanbluefish
Summary: High school angel Lance and delinquent Keith hated each other, but soon they found out they're not so different after all. As they slowly begin to realize their feelings for each other, things get a (little) complicated.
1. Keith and Lance

Purple clouds rolled in the sky, and the sun had begun to set. Lance gazed out the window, his hands pausing the rest on his desk.

The class was empty. He was alone.

He shifted from his seat, leaving his bag behind him as he walked closer to the window. The colors were blinding, but he couldn't look away.

He stared longingly at the sky until he was disrupted by a sudden phone call. He scrunched his eyebrows in annoyance, pulling out his phone from his pockets. Answering it, he puts on a fake smile and spoke in the nicest voice.

"Lance, what's the homework today?"

"Oh, it's English exercise papers"

"Is that it?"

"Yes"

"Okay, thanks"

"No problem!" He said, hanging up immediately.

People just can't pay attention in class.

He shuffles to pack his bag, slowing taking his time. After all, today was a good day.

* * *

Keith was getting lectured again. Fifth time in a week, a new record. Not that he was happy with it.

Shiro had just heard he had a fight with a classmate, which was already normal for him.

"How many times do I have to tell you? Don't get into fights, you'll only hurt yourself!"

Keith looked down at the floor. His eyes looking everywhere but Shiro's face. Soon, his parents will be back, and he has the go through the same thing again. He cannot bear to see the disappointment on their faces.

Shiro's lecture slowly soften, all Keith could hear was muffled sounds of what used to be shouts. His vision became cloudy, and his thoughts colorless. Before he could even apprehend what he was doing, he had reached the nearest park.

He ran away from home.

Ran away from Shiro.

He sat near a bush, hoping the bush would cover all of his problems, but it only covered him. He crossed his legs, taking off his worn-out jacket to cover his cold body.

It's getting cold.

He watches as the sky turns dark, and the sun swallowed by darkness. Oh, how he wishes he could fly into the infinite space out there. Where he could explore new wonders, and maybe be free from his past mistakes. He smiled, eyes never leaving the glimmering sky. He was calm.

* * *

Lance hurried home, running as fast as he could. He lost track of time, and only realized it was late when he had seen the many texts that his mother sent. He arrived at the front porch, placing a hand on the door while catching his breath.

Mamá is going to kill me.

He opens the door, accepting his dire fate. He walked through the door, and a rubber ball hits him hard on the face.

"Ow! What the hell? "He cried, rubbing his now red forehead.

His sister picked up the ball, hugging his legs.

"Lance!"

Lance leaned down and carried his little sister. She was too adorable. He kissed her cheek, rocking her side to side.

"It was you, wasn't it? You threw it" He said, unable to hide his wide smile.

Marie giggles, raising up her new toy and throwing it again. Lance laughs softly, tickling her chubby stomach. Her laughs were like the twinkling of bells and if he could picture it, it would be a starry night sky.

He set the toddler down, walking on the carpeted floor to the kitchen. He sees his mamá chopping the onions, while the soup on the stove beside her was boiling. The strong, thick smell of garlic and tomatoes filled the room, irritating Lance's sensitive nose.

"Mamá, I'm home," He said, smiling warmly while greeting her.

"Mijó, what did I say about coming home late?" She said, turning around from the chopping board to face him.

"'m sorry, I lost track of time" Lance mumbled, his words almost inaudible. He tiptoes around her, putting his hands together as if to pray.

"You know it's not going to work on me," She said, her face almost deadpanned. She had her hands on her hips, one hand still holding a knife. Lance backs away, seeing how skilled the woman was at chopping onions, he didn't want to know how good she was at cutting him up.

His mamá chuckled, knowing that she had defeated him with a kitchen knife. She celebrates her victory by waving the knife around, taunting the clearly scarred boy.

Just then, Rebecca stomps in. Her hair was pointing at all directions, her shirt was half tucked, and she had only one sock on. She eyes Lance, motioning him to the living room. Lance obediently followed her.

She then leads him to the living room, showing him the mess all over the space. His brother, Marco passed out on the couch with his shirt half tucked. He heard a collection of giggles and felt a tugging at his pants. He leans down, looking eye to eye with Luis, his younger brother. And a troublemaker.

"Luis is being a brat," Rebecca said, her hands rubbing her tired face. Lance smirks, patting Luis on the head.

"Good job, Luis," Lance says, showing his thumbs up.

"Don't encourage him!" Rebecca screeched, her voice loud enough to shatter windows. Lance laughs more.

"That's what you get for torturing me last time"

* * *

Keith went back home eventually. He ignored the scolding and lectures and ran upstairs as soon as he went home.

It was calm before.

Keith locked the door, sliding down the down to crouch against it. He could hear the shouts downstairs, and Shiro's attempts to calm the storm.

He leaned his head backward, knocking the door with it.

Until I leave this hellhole.

He closed his eyes, imagining a place far, far away.

Until I leave forever.

* * *

Lance wakes up in the middle of the night on his desk. He pushes himself up from the chair, shuffling his finished project and placing it all neatly on the table.

He walked to his bed, switching off the lamps and goes back to his deep slumber.


	2. First Meeting

Keith puts on his jacket and leaves without eating anything. He leaves with only his bag and his motorcycle. He didn't bother to tuck in his uniform and tidy his messed up hair. He puts on the helmet, again ignoring Shiro's attempt to make him stay for breakfast. I'm not seven, Shiro. See you at school. He remembers saying it, quite vividly.

Then, McClain comes in.

He was immediately swarmed by people, like the attention seeker he is. Keith looks at him, smiling and greeting everyone and wondering if he was really genuine. Every time he sees him he is always giving people a smile, lighting the whole room with his charismatic charm. With good grades and a friendly demeanor, he's sure to gain popularity really quickly.

And he flirts a lot. It's pretty annoying to see him flirting with just anyone in the hallway.

Keith just sits in his desk, covering his face and slowly drifting back to sleep. He dreams of the infinite space, and the shining stars dancing there. When I grow up, I wanna go to space! He proclaimed to his parents during his kindergarten days. They were so supportive of him, always encouraging him to work hard for his dreams. Others weren't as nice to him.

Go to space? Don't be ridiculous!

With these grades, you can't go anywhere!

After middle school, Keith soon found out the harsh reality. He needed good grades, a perfect school record and a scholarship to get into a space program. He worked day and night, sometimes never sleeping for days. No matter how hard he tried, he still had his bad reputation hanging over his head. Shiro however, wasn't like him. He had perfect grades, was a valedictorian and overall, a model student. He got accepted into a good university and will be leaving in a few months time.

When that happens, what will Keith do?

* * *

Lance seats himself, chatting away with his close friends, Pidge and Hunk. They both were talking about the upcoming science fair, and how they have prepared their projects. Pidge is going to do a phone charger powered by water, and Hunk is probably going to research on different types of flour and the effects it has on the bread.

Lance had no idea what he will do.

He steals a glance at Kogane, the top student in his grade. The only student that can rival the school's genius, Pidge. He violently spins his head, shaking off the thought stuck in his head. What was he thinking? He can't compliment him! He hated his guts, ever since Keith had become one of the school's top students within a year he enrolled. Lance bit his lip, he still remembers that moment.

He was at the bottom of the list. Keith was at the top.

He spent years and years climbing the ranks, going from the last to the top five. He never beat Keith. Everything he was good at, Keith was better. Faster. Smarter. Lance will never surpass him, and as every day passes, he gets further and further away. He does everything for his family. He sacrifices his time and effort to make his mamá proud, and that is his wish.

* * *

Keith kept his distance from the cafeteria during lunch break. Shiro's looking for him. He knew his brother well, so it wasn't hard to imagine that his brother would want to talk to him. Shiro doesn't deserve him as a brother.

Keith climbed up the stairs, taking a bottle of water and a thick book with him. He opens a metal gate, then opening the door to the roof of the building. He sighs as he closed the door behind him. He is finally alone.

The school roof has been his secret hideout for years. Keith never liked lunch breaks, with a sea of people crowded in a tiny room. He'd rather avoid the place than eat. Up here in this spacious area, and the dusty floor, he can finally breathe. He sits in the corner, smiling contently as he flips the pages of his book.

Well, he celebrated too early.

Because Lance fucking McClain barges in and slams the door with a swing of his arm. He didn't even try to be quiet, just banging the door with all his might. McClain, you have outdone yourself. Keith felt his blood boil, the one that only happens before a fight.

Lance turned his head, not knowing that Keith sat there. His eyes widened, then his face turned sour. "What are you doing here?" He spat, not even caring to look at Keith.

Keith felt his jaw tightened. "Was gonna ask you the same thing" He murmured, in the nicest tone of voice he could do. He stood up, walking closer to the person he hated the most.

"How about you run while you can?"

Lance became angrier, his face getting redder and redder every minute. "Listen, Kogane. I didn't come up here to fight with an asshole like you, so just fuck off" Lance warned, shoving a finger to his face. Keith wanted to punch him right there and there, but he hesitates. He freezes, a wave of regret and shame comes washing over him. He thinks of Shiro, and how every time he has to defend him. The look of disappointment his parents give him is unbearable, but what's worse is the look of hurt and pain he sees in the mirror every morning. He wants to stop. So for the first time, he lowers his hand.

* * *

Lance's eyes were still closed, his hands were covering his face. He was ready for the punch. He waited, and waited. It never came.

He slowly opened his eyes, and Keith wasn't there. Keith didn't punch him. The most aggressive and ill-tempered boy in school didn't let his emotions get the better of him. Lance was almost proud. He smiled, knowing he was all alone now. Then the bell rang.

Goddamit.

"Keith!"

Keith didn't answer, instead, he tried to escape the conversation. He sped through the corridors, the sounds of his footsteps echoing behind him. No, he can't bring himself to face Shiro now. He cuts into a corner, reaching his class on time.

As usual, people watched over him like he was the center of the universe. They often whisper, gossip, spread rumors, and like a needle, small and thin, it pierced him many times. He endured it for two years, then he became too broken to feel anything. No pain, no suffering, no happiness. He was an outsider in a place where he was supposed to belong.

If only he wasn't so different from the others.


	3. Don't Dream It's Over

Lance checks the time. It's midnight. He leaned back into the wooden chair, rubbing his tired eyes. He looks up at the ceiling, blinking when he saw swirls. _He can't sleep yet. _He has to read for the test tomorrow, or his grades will drop. He clicked his pen, scribbling on his notebook.

He wonders what Keith is doing now. Is he studying like he is? How does he get such good results without even studying half as much as he does? Lance frowned, pressing his pen harder into his book.

_Life's just unfair._

* * *

Keith unlocks the front door quietly, making sure he doesn't attract any attention. He slides out the house, taking the keys and running to the nearest park. There, he sat where he sat the day before, behind those thick bushes. He pats the soft grass, feeling it in between his fingers. He brings nothing but his mp3 player and a set of earphones.

There, he played his favorite song on repeat.

_**There is freedom within, there is freedom without**_

_**Try to catch the deluge in a paper cup**_

_**There's a battle ahead, many battles are lost**_

_**But you'll never see the end of the road**_

**_While you're traveling with me_**

"Hey now, hey now. Don't dream it's over" Keith sang softly and sadly. He closes his eyes, reminiscing to the haunting melody. He almost remembers every detail of that night, the night in which he had lost everything.

He rubbed his eyes, unable to contain the tears any longer. Beads of blue fell from his face, and soon, it became a waterfall.

* * *

"Marco! Where are my socks?!" Rebecca screamed upstairs? Lance hurries to pack his books, making sure he doesn't forget his homework. Marco shouts back, throwing the socks to his sister. _This house is in chaos. _

Lance picks up the baby while holding his backpack on the other hand.

"We're the only normal ones here, Luis" He whispered to the baby, as he giggles uncontrollably.

Lance leaves the frenzied house, leaving behind Marco and Rebecca who were fighting upstairs. He reaches school the exact same time he does every day, which is 20 minutes earlier. The school is almost empty, only a few students walking by_. Hunk and Pidge haven't reached yet_. He tilts his head up, observing the roof of the building.

Maybe he could hang there for a while.

Keith wasn't there. Lance looked everywhere for anybody, but it's deserted. He sighs, slowly dropping down to the floor. He's all alone now. He flipped his math homework, twirling his pencil in one hand, and the other scratching his head in confusion. He has to solve this problem. It's one of the simplest questions.

He racks his brain, but he can't think. All he sees is the envelope on his desk last night. All he hears is his mother painfully trying to console him.

"Mamá, I'm fine. I'll keep trying, no matter the cost" He said, a fake smile plastered over his face.

He has to get a scholarship, no matter the cost. He can't risk putting his mamá in any more trouble, after everything that she has done, and he's still a burden to her.

"Lance... think, think, think"

His mind is blank. He sighs in defeat, giving a menacing glare to his book. He needs a tutor, but to have a tutor… He needs money to hire one. _No! He can't! _ Mama has already worked day and night, and he still wants to ask for money?

"I just have to work harder then"

Yes, he has to work twice as hard. To reach his goals and make his dreams a reality, he has to sacrifice everything, even his own friends. He has been distancing himself from his friends, deeming them as distractions, and thinking that they would only drag him down. Pidge and Hunk never had to worry about their grades, because they were geniuses, like Kogane. Lance never knew what it was like to be a genius, and it was harder for him. He had to learn twice as hard, practice thrice as hard, to get the same result with Kogane.

Again with that Kogane kid.

Maybe he isn't good enough. Maybe he'll never be enough. He raised his book up, scanning through the pages to find that he didn't understand a single question.

_Maybe he's useless._

* * *

Keith goes up on the roof like he does every day. This time, it's different though. Ever since his encounter with McClain, he knows now that he'll never be left alone. He pushes open the door, accepting that McClain might already be there.

He sits in his usual spot, ignoring the presence of another person up here with him. Keith takes out his book while stealing a glance at McClain. He sat with his knees up, a math textbook lying on the floor in front of him. He looked tired, the bags under his eyes show how much sleep he's been missing. His just stares at the math questions, waiting for a solution to come up.

Keith wants to turn away, to just leave him be. He knows it's probably for the best.

But he can't do that.

He reaches over to Lance but hesitates as his fingertips touch his jacket. Lance didn't budge, only tilting his head slightly to eye him. Keith backs off, scared of being told off by him. He looks down at the floor, twirling his thumbs, and sweating profusely.

"Do… you need help with that?" He asked awkwardly. He regretted it immediately. Talking to people isn't one of his strengths.

"What?" Lance asked back, facing his face with a troubled expression. Those ocean blue eyes watched him, the color slowly fading away. _He seems so tired and stressed. _Keith wonders how many nights he had missed. He frowns, suddenly feeling a pang of pain in his chest. _Is this how McClain really is?_

* * *

Lance was surprised, to say the least. He couldn't believe the words that came out of that boy's mouth. Keith Kogane, the school's toughest bad boy, just asked him if he needs help on his math? Lance couldn't catch a glimpse of his face, but he saw his hands. The nervous twiddling of thumbs, and his body going stiff for no reason. Kogane was scared, and Lance knew.

Kogane went silent. He didn't speak a word, nor looked him in the eye. He leaned over, sliding over the textbook to himself. He took Lance's pencil too, using it to scribble all over the paper.

"Hey!" Lance shouts, reaching for the notebook to snatch it back. Keith jumps back, writing furiously on _his _book. _What is he doing?! _ Lance grumbles, getting annoyed by his pranks. He's playing with him.

"Give it back!" Lance exclaimed, but a lot louder this time. People would have heard it downstairs. Kogane stopped writing and shoved the book back into his chest. He grabbed his bag and ran out of the roof promptly. _Looks like he got the message. _Lance eyed the book in his arms, furrowing his brows in confusion. What did Kogane want?

He flipped back to the pages he was reading before, only to find detailed solutions and notes written neatly on them. Lance was bewildered. Why would Keith help him? Lance hates his guts and has expressed it with any chance he got. So why, why does Keith help him? What does he want?

And what is Lance supposed to do with this?!

* * *

Keith woke up after school. The classroom was dim, and only the afternoon sun gave light to it. _He slept throughout history class… _No one bothered to wake him up, even the teacher didn't give him any attention at all. Keith rubbed his eyes, he's still sleepy after a long nap. As he leaned the back of his chair, he noticed a bag left in the classroom. It wasn't his.

"Hey" A voice came from behind him. Keith almost jumped out of his chair. He turned, his heart beating wildly after the scare. He saw Lance, holding the math book to his chest, and looking quite confuzzled.

"Thanks, for the… notes. It was really helpful" Lance mumbled, his voice barely audible. His grip on the book tightened, almost crumpling the pages of the book. His stare was unquivering, even though he looks scared, he stood strong and fierce. Keith gawked, not sure what to do. _It was the first time someone talked to him sincerely in a long time. _He felt a light flutter in his chest, something he hasn't felt before. He tries to hide the curve of his lips, tries to stop the feeling he was having.

"Glad I could help" Keith smiled, cursing at himself for not concealing it. Lance gave a lopsided smile back to him, his eyes glowing a wave of blue.

"I knew you could smile, grumpy pants" He said, chuckling quietly.

Keith laughed softly. "What… did you call me?" His eyes turn into slits, his mouth curving higher than before. His hand moves up to cover his mouth, but his laughter echoed in the empty room.

"You should laugh more, Kogane"

He has dimples when he smiles. His laughter was melodic, and Lance wondered why he didn't smile more. When he covers his mouth, Lance wanted to grab his hands and stop him. He wants to see more of him because it made him feel… _tingly. _

He never felt like this before.

A/N: I have been listening to 80s music, and Don't Dream It's Over by Crowded House caught my attention. It's a great song, please give it a chance and listen to it!


	4. After

_"You should laugh more, Kogane"_

Water dripped from Keith's hair to his forehead and sliding down to his face. It has been on his mind ever since he first heard it. He closed his eyes, feeling the water flowing down to his face. All he sees is Lance, his goofy smile and his mesmerizing blue eyes.

Keith smiles at the thought of him.

_No! Snap out of it!_ Keith smacked the sides of his face, shaking his in disbelief. He's not feeling for Lance, not in a million years. He couldn't be. Lance was the total opposite of him and was adored by so many others. Unlike him, Keith couldn't get anyone he wants.

"Keith! Dinner is ready!"

Keith snapped out of his daydream. He tugs after his towel, wiping himself bone dry. _What was he doing?_ He puts on his clothes, his hair untouched as he swung open the door. Shiro stood tall in front of him. "Keith…"

Keith was sidetracked from his shameful daydream. He refuses to look at Shiro because he knows Shiro had a face of disappointment. Keith feels sick. He doesn't want to let Shiro down, especially after all the things he had done for him. He respects him, too much that he's embarrassed to say that Shiro has a horrible brother like him.

Keith ignored him. "Keith, please…" Shiro pleaded, following him down the staircase. "Can we please talk?" Keith feels the sadness in his voice and doesn't understand why he feels that way. _Shiro doesn't deserve a brother like him._

Shiro finally gives up after trying about only a hundred times.

* * *

Lance cooked for today. His mamá was working a night shift, again. Lance frowns, pulling open a bag of frozen peas. They ran out of vegetables today. The only option for Lance is to make some fried rice. He defrosted the peas, wondering if they had expired. _One of the peas looks weird…_

"Marco!" Lance calls after him. Marco made the longest groan he's ever heard and dragged him lazy feet to the kitchen.

"Can you get some veggies for me?" He says, tossing the spoilt peas into the trash can. Marco held his hand out, yawning with his mouth so wide ten flies could have easily flown in. Lance smacked 10 dollars in his hand and ushered him out of the house.

"Hurry up and get home!"

"Shut up, you're not my mom!" He shouts back.

Lance chuckled softly, _that little piece of shit._ Lance turned back to the boiling pot of rice, eyes widening when he sees bubbles appearing from within. "Shit!" He said, repeatedly as he tried to switch off the stove. Steam blew to his face, and he cried as it makes contact with his skin. It burns.

There was nothing enjoyable about cooking.

He bumps into the cupboard, almost knocking over a pile of plates. That was close. Lance held his breath as he opens the pot, hoping that the rice wasn't burned. It didn't smell that way, that's for certain. But you could never tell these days. He squints his eyes at the pot of mush, grinning wildly at his success.

It wasn't burnt!

It was too wet though. It's porridge at this point.

_Damn._

* * *

Keith can't get it out of his head. That voice haunted his brain, replaying it like a broken record player. _"You should laugh more Kogane"_ He tugs his hair in frustration, bumping his head on the wooden desk. The soft yellow light shone only on his assignments, but it was bright enough for him. Lance's bright light though, he'll never get enough of that. He couldn't concentrate, getting side-tracked by flashbacks to Lance.

'You're in love, idiot.' A voice inside him says. He denies it, shoving the voice aside. He wasn't. He couldn't. Keith squeezed his eyes shut, leaning his head against the hard wood. It hurts. Everything hurts.

Make it stop.

"Keith?" Shiro stood by the door, being in between his room and the outside. His shoulders slumped, his gaze filled with misery and longing. Keith didn't move. He stayed still, refusing to even respond to him. Shiro shuffled in, his feet sliding across the carpeted floor and making an annoying sound. He sat on his bed, eying Keith who only pretended he wasn't there.

"I'm sorry, about that day" He started. Keith flinched, his hands twitched slightly.

"I'm just scared for you, and I feel useless watching you throw your future away."

Shiro sighs. "I miss talking to you, Keith. I want you to talk to me, don't keep all of it inside."

Keith flutters his eyes open, turning around to face Shiro. "I miss talking to you too, but I don't want your pity. It's the last thing I _want_ now." Keith answered, pushing aside the chair and leaving the room. He walks downstairs, into the kitchen for some alone time. He notices two heads in the kitchen, whispering in hushed voices and talking all secretive. _He just wants to be alone._ He looks out to the garden outside the house, imagining himself running to the park he always goes. He could go there.

"Keith Akira Kogane" A stern voice hollowed in the room, followed by a thundering beat in his chest. He didn't respond, his shoulders tensed up in a way it hasn't before. His father calling to him, his mother glaring fiercely at him was the worst thing ever. Keith's fingers twitched, his legs moving against his will to grab his keys from his jacket. He fumbled the jacket to find them, hearing his heartbeat drum in his ears. He swings open the main door, pushing aside the wooden mahogany door, stomping on the carpet outside. He ran and ran.

It's all he does, anyway.

* * *

Marco comes back finally, with not only beans, and some ice popsicles. Where did he get the money for the ice pops? Lance snatched the beans, giving looks of suspicion to his brother. "Fucking finally" He mummers, sliding to the kitchen to finish making his dish. Rebecca rolls around in the living room, hugging a giggly Luis close to her. Marco jumps to the old, worn-out couch, flipping open his comic book and peruse over the black and white drawings.

Lance cleans the table, sets the plates out nice and tidy. He called for his siblings to the meal, carrying little Luis and setting him on his lap comfortably. "I hope it's better than the last time" Rebecca jokes, a smirk showing on her face. Lance huffed, "Shut up". Luis chomps on his food, his mouth sometimes missing the spoon entirely, and the baby food splattered everywhere. _Babies are so stupid._ Lance quickly fed Luis and excused himself from the table to bring Luis to sleep.

He cradled him, singing soft lullabies to lull him to sleep. Lance sees Luis's eyelids getting heavy, and soon he falls asleep. He puts him down gently into his crib, drawing the curtains and switching off the lights. "Good night, Luis," He says, turning back to look at Luis one last time. Luis answered by turning away from him and pushing aside the blanket.

Lance returns to the table, glancing at the empty plates left for him to clean. He sighed and slid over his plate of rice.

* * *

Keith shuffled against the twigs, feeling them poking his arms. He lies to himself, telling himself he's comfortable and that he would rather be here than his own home. It was definitely pride. He couldn't just go home and forget that ever happened. He had hurt people who genuinely cared for him, pushed people away because he felt that he would open up to them and they wouldn't accept him.

_He's a complete asshole._

Well, he always was. Keith chuckled at his self deprecating statement. He thinks of all the times he broke rules, destroyed his health and future. All because he wanted to escape. He got addicted to smoking, he smoked less now, but he still uses a pack every week.

Maybe he can still turn his life around. He hoped that he would lead a good life, and not live as miserable as he lived now.

Maybe all hope was not lost yet.

* * *

Shiro paced the living room, almost pulling out all of his hair in panic. Keith ran away again. And it was his fault that he did so. Oh, why was Shiro such a terrible brother?

What if Keith gets kidnapped on the road, or gets murdered like those crime shows he watched?

He pauses as he hears jiggling of keys at the door, and he peers over to see the silhouette of his brother. He came back.

As soon as Keith steps into the house, Shiro grabbed him by his wrist and pulled him into the tightest hug. He rambled on about how worried he was, about how he really thought he was going to lose him for real. He hears Keith sniff, then hears he laughing softly and crying. He hasn't heard him laugh in so long.

"I'm sorry too, Shiro. For being such a shit brother" He said, laughing uncontrollably in between words.

"I was a shit brother too"

"No, you're not. You are the best brother I could ever ask for, so stop saying that. " Keith said, his hands squeezing tighter onto him.

Keith eventually releases himself from Shiro, when he sees his parents standing across him. They were huddled against each other, they were just at the bottom of the stairs. His mother didn't look angry anymore, and his father, his expression was unreadable.

"Keith-" His father started but never finished his sentence.

"I'm quitting" Keith declared.

"What?" was the reply he got. Keith held his breath, and let it all out. "I'm quitting smoking."

The look on his parents' faces was priceless, and Shiro smiled like he was the proudest parent ever. Keith smiled, lifting up his shirt to reveal a nicotine patch on his stomach.

"Starting today," He said. He was cut off short with a big hug from his mother, not a single word leaving her mouth as she did so. His father gave him a reassuring, small smile, subtle but Keith could see it.

"Proud of you, Keith," He said, in his thick Texan accent. Keith nodded back to him.

Maybe he could change his life after all.


	5. Diners and Pretty Boys

Lance clicks his pen, scratching and ruffling his hair with his other hand. He's annoyed, mostly because he can't think at all. The longer it takes, the more frustrated he becomes, and it's just an endless cycle. It's been an hour, but Lance hasn't done anything. He drops his pen, feeling unmotivated to do his work.

He hates it.

He pushes himself from his desk, turning around to see Marco and Rebecca with their eyes closed. The room was so serene. Lance feels his eyes drooping, his movements getting slow and sloppy. He stifles a yawn and walks to the kitchen for a snack out of habit. The wooden board under him creaks, and Lance hears it echoing through the empty room.

He yanks open the fridge, grabbing any snack he sets his eyes upon. Some chocolate from last time, and the leftover cake from his last party. It was just him and his food, in the dark. He watches his surroundings as he munched on, eyeing the old photographs, magazines, and trophies put high on the shelves. He noticed things he never did before, like the photograph that was faced down.

He picked it up, surprised to find a picture if his long lost father. He looked happy in the photo, wearing a loose shirt with overalls, holding a margarita in one hand. To his right, a young woman with a bright yellow dress stood by him, smiling gleefully and clinging to him lovingly.

Lance was convinced they were in love. But unfortunately, that wasn't the case.

* * *

Something is definitely wrong.

Lance wasn't sure what to do now that Keith wasn't here. In a way, Lance missed the time he spent with Keith. It was quiet and peaceful like they were the last two people on earth. He could feel Keith warming up to him, even though he could still see Keith holding back.

Lance still hates Keith though. He's just allying with him for his studies, nothing more. So far, Keith only gave tips for studying and solutions for the answer. Lance never asked for any of this, but hey, he's not complaining.

It totally wasn't because Lance wanted to be with him.

* * *

Keith felt terrible. He feels himself reaching for his bag to get cigarettes, but it wasn't there. Because he's quitting. He never knew his addiction was that bad until he actually decided to quit. His head was spinning wildly, like a merry go round that never stops.

He forgets about everything. The only thing on his mind was smoking. The color and the smell of it, and the thought of never doing that again in his life.

He never knew it would be this hard.

* * *

"Kogane"

Lance's soft voice brings Keith to a jolt. Keith stops in his tracks, turning around to see a frenzied Lance.

"McClain? What-" Keith said, but was cut off by Lance, who looked worried and furious at the same time.

"Did I do something wrong?" Lance said, in a hushed whisper. Keith was confused, he didn't know what Lance meant. Why was he saying all this stuff to him out of the blue? Why talk to him now when all he did was stay silent or nod in his direction?

Lance stood in silence. He gaze fell from his eyes to the cemented floor, and he stared at it as if it was the most interesting thing.

"What are you talking about?"

Lance jerks his head back up. "It was me, wasn't it? It was because of me that you didn't come up to the roof in days" He said with certainty.

"What? Is this what it's all about?"

Lance nodded, eagerly waiting for an answer. Keith sighs because he wasn't going to tell anybody else about him quitting his addiction. Keith has been sleeping in his classroom, being so drained from it all.

He can't believe he was going to tell Lance.

He grabbed Lance's hand, pulling him over to his ride. He takes a mental note of how soft Lance's hands are, making sure he remembers how it feels at that moment. Because he knows he'll never feel it again.

Lance starts sputtering a bunch of questions. One of them being: "Where are you taking me?"

"Come on, I'll explain when we reach there," Keith said, his voice suddenly raspy and dry. Definitely not to impress Lance.

Lance obliges, putting on Keith's helmet and holding onto Keith's stomach. Keith thought his heart was about to fly out of his chest. He hoped Lance didn't notice the hammering in his chest.

* * *

Lance's heart was racing. One of the reasons may be because he wasn't sure where Keith would take him. It could be an abandoned warehouse, where he could meet his demise. His mamá told him to never go with strangers, but now he's on a motorbike with someone he barely knows. Well, sorta know.

Lance may have spent a lot of time with him, but he never really talk to him.

There was something that pulls him to Keith, something so intriguing about him.

Lance holds him tighter, afraid of letting go. He wonders if Keith minds it, when Lance hugs him tighter or leans in closer to him. Lance presses his cheek to Keith's back, feeling blood rushing to his face. He wished he could stop feeling this way.

Keith revved his engine, going faster than before. Lance screamed.

* * *

"You're a terrible driver," Lance says, after they've reached.

Keith smirks, pulling out his keys. "First time?" He keeps his keys in his pocket and takes the helmet from Lance's hands. Lance huffed, walking away from him. He crossed his arm, and pouts in the cutest way.

Keith chases up to him, leading him to a diner. It was quite full, with only a few tables empty. Waitresses walk to and fro, all wearing big smiles and lacey uniforms. Lance followed him in, all the way to a booth at the corner.

"A diner, Kogane?" Lance asked, as the took their seats.

"They have good milkshakes" Keith says, shrugging. He takes the menu, flipping through different sections of food to find his beverage. Lance watched as he ordered, not ordering anything for himself.

"Don't you want anything?" Keith asked.

Lance shakes his head, pushing the menus to the waitress. "No thanks" He said, smiling brightly at her. He didn't flirt with her like he always does.

"One chocolate for him," Keith said, pointing a finger at Lance. He cannot let Lance walk out here without trying their milkshakes. Lance will regret this for the rest of his life.

Before Lance could cancel the order, the waitress already jots it down her notepad and left.

"My treat" Keith said, after seeing the look on Lance's face.

* * *

"It better be," Lance said, giving him a stern look. He was being honest, because right now he can't even afford to buy a plate of fries. He looks down at the table, his eyes trailing to Keith's hands. He wears fingerless gloves. Lance wants to ask so many questions, but he only asks one.

"Wanna tell me why you avoided me for days now?"

Keith pauses, then he sighs.

"I…have been sort of stressed lately," Keith says, rubbing his face with his hand. And his gloves. "I can't concentrate on anything, and I forget to do anything else" Keith continues.

Lance raises his eyebrow.

Keith inhales and exhales. "I have been quitting smoking, for about a week now. And sometimes I forget about things I used to do, because all I could think about was smoking."

Lance's expression softens. He didn't know Keith had been dealing with addictions. He has been hiding it all this time. He's been going through all of this by himself.

"Hey...I'm here if you need anything" Lance whispered, giving Keith a subtle and small smile. He thought of reaching over to Keith gloved hands and squeezing them with his own, but he couldn't. Not when he's outside in public, where everyone could see them.

"Lance, it wasn't your fault. Don't beat yourself up" Keith said. Lance felt better knowing that it wasn't him and that Keith didn't actually hate him.

Wait.

Lance hated him. Why should he care what Keith thinks of him?

* * *

Keith may have a tiny crush on Lance. Tiny. It was the small things about him that Keith loved about him, like the way his eyebrows scrunched together when he's deep in thought or the way he laughs. Keith takes mental notes of all of these.

So maybe he's fallen in too deep.

The waitress comes with two milkshakes, one vanilla, and another chocolate. Keith slides the vanilla milkshake to himself, pulling the straw to his mouth. He watches Lance attentively, and he smiles when he sees Lance light up after his first sip.

"Oh my God... Keith! This is amazing!" Lance exclaimed.

Keith chuckled. "Told ya" He said, humming and enjoying his beverage.

Lance finished it within minutes. He had a bit of whipped cream smudged on his cheek and he giggles like a toddler. It's so fucking adorable.

Keith smiles giddily like he was on drugs, feeling the light thumping in his chest area. He's fallen in too deep and he can't get out.

* * *

Lance strolled in the parking lot with Keith. It was quiet and calm, except for the cricket noises in the bushes. Lance balances himself on the side of the road, and Keith walked by him. It was quite a long way to his ride. Lance never knew that he could have this much fun with the one person he hates so much.

Keith was pretty cool. It's just that no one ever saw this side of him. He never saw this side of him. Keith, with his long mullet hair, sliding down to his shoulders. His eyes, dark and mysterious, which only pulled Lance closer to him. He wants to know more about Keith. He wants to know Keith like the back of his hand.

Lance whistled a tune, pushing his hands into his pockets and walking beside the bushes. The road was dark and empty, and the only light came from the road lights. Keith walked slowly, looking around for the way to his bike. He holds his jacket in his arm, and his helmet in the other.

"Keith?" Lance says, finally, to break the silence.

"Mm," Keith replies, not looking up to Lance when he did so.

"What do you wanna do after... you know, high school?" Lance asks.

Keith cocks up an eyebrow. "I don't know anymore" He sullenly answers. He kicks a pebble in his way and it landed onto the grass. "There must be something you really want" Lance insisted. He twists, facing a crossed armed Keith.

"It's impossible," Keith says, pushing past Lance.

"Keith, what are you talking about? You the most badass person I know... I mean, you're a prodigy." Lance argues back. He jabs a finger at Keith, saying all these things that he never would have said before.

"Lance-"

"You are amazing, you know that? Top of the class and all that shit. How can you still be such a dimwit with all that brain?"

"Keith Kogane, you complete idiot" Lance spits out, laughing softly after that sentence. He steps closer to Keith until their faces are only one breath away, and he pokes his forehead. "Never dream it's over"

* * *

Keith wanted to kiss him so badly.

"Never dream it's over", Lance says after poking his head. Keith's heart skipped a beat. Keith smiled, unable to contain it anymore. This was the most he'd ever smiled.

"Come on, I found it," He said, pulling Lance's hand with his.

He hands Lance his helmet. As Lance puts it on, he jokes. "This is exactly like that one scene in La La Land" Keith jerks around. "Huh, yeah" He suddenly realizes. Lance takes off his helmet after that and holds out his hand.

"You wanna dance?"

Boy, do I. "You're on, Lance," He says, giving him a smug look. He holds Lance's hands letting go of his jacket and helmet, and into Lance's arms he went. Lance pulls him in, and Keith naturally went with him. Lance whistles the tune of 'City of Stars', and Keith went along with it.

Their dance was uncoordinated, it was all over the place. Keith was nervous, and Lance tried his best to calm him down. Lance stopped whistling and instead, he sang the song word for word. Keith was in awe of his voice, and what it could do.

City of stars

Are you shining just for me

City of stars

There's so much that I can't see

* * *

Keith's eyes were like a city of stars.


	6. Lost in Your Eyes

Keith shifts in his bed. His mind still replaying everything that happened last night. The singing, the dancing. It all seemed like a fairytale.

After all of that, he brought Lance home. Lance gives him a shy smile and goes into his house. His house was old, and it didn't look like anything he imagined. It was falling into pieces, the paint was scraping off, and the roof looks like it's going to fall off.

Lance, why didn't you tell me?

He drives home, explaining to Shiro that he was studying in the diner. He doesn't mention Lance or the fact that they technically went on a date. Shiro didn't question him, only asking if Keith could get home earlier next time.

"Okay, dad " Keith replied, sort of in a sarcastic way.

He feels closer to Shiro now. At least closer than before. It was almost like they were kids again. Running around and chasing each other like they didn't care about anything else. As they grew up, they also grew apart.

And Keith realized that life wasn't a fairytale and that reality was a cold and harsh world.

Good news, he hasn't been grounded by mamá yet. Bad news, he probably will get a good scolding after he reaches home.

He can picture it already.

Him, standing in front of mamá while she gives him the stare of death. His sibling will watch from upstairs, even though they're not supposed to.

His stomach grumbles.

He's been craving those milkshakes ever since he left the place. It was a drink from heaven, and he wasn't exaggerating. It was that good.

He reaches for the front door, slowly turning the knob to avoid making any sound. Maybe he still has a shred of hope that mamá is asleep. But of course, she wasn't. Instead, she was the first thing he sees when the door swings open.

Fuck.

"Lance Serrano McClain" Fuck.

"Do you know what time is it now, mijó?" She asks while smiling. It's the scariest smile Lance had ever seen in his short life.

"Mamá, I can explain-"

"You'd better! It's almost nine, Lance!" She said, and it starts pouring out like a never-ending rainfall.

"Okay, okay. I was studying with a...friend. We went out for a drink and the next thing you know, it's 8:30."

His mamá looked skeptical. "It's milkshakes" Lance insisted, feeling his mouth water as he said that. The feeling of cooling and creamy concoction in his mouth still lingers.

The soft touch of Keith still burns in his skin.

He feels his face heating up.

He tries to cool himself down. Picturing his grandma in his mind, thinking of literally anything other than Keith. It was hard to do so.

Keith has never watched La La Land.

He personally doesn't really like musicals or romantic movies, but he searches it up anyway. And there it is, three words are written in bold on the screen: 'City of Stars'.

He hears it a few times, thinking if this was the same song before. Lance sang it so much better. He was intoxicated by Lance's haunting voice. That low, smooth, silky singing voice.

He's too deep in.

"Lance Serrano McClain" He hears an annoying imitation of mamá in his room. It was followed by giggles, and light thumping. Lance rolls his eyes, and even if he's mad that they watched the whole thing, he still smiles. They're McClains after all.

"Marco, you know I can hear you clearly, right?" Lance says, pushing open the door to find them sprawled on the floor. His brother smirks, while his sister replies with, "Yeah, we knew".

"Bastards" He mumbles under his breath. Marco throws a pillow at him, then another. Rebecca joins in. Lance giggles uncontrollably as they attacked him with pillows.

After it all, they laid beside each other in a pile of blankets and soft pillows.

"Lance, can I ask you something?" Marco suddenly asked.

Lance scoots closer to him, until their shoulders touch. "What?" He says. Rebecca's already sleeping on the other side, so it was just Marco and him. "You ever miss papa?" He asked, with a tone of sadness.

"I always miss him, Coco" Lance replies, sighing.

"You haven't called me coco in a long time"

"Should I call you that more?" Lance jokes.

Marco hums. He tilts his head to the side, and Lance could see the blush on his cheeks. He's embarrassed. Lance smirks.

"So... anyone you crushing on?" Lance says, smirking deeper when he sees the red darkening on Marco's cheeks. "No one," Marco says, clearly a lie.

"Come ooooon" Lance whines, poking his right cheek.

There was some silence after that. Then, Marco announced it. "There's one. She's in my history class." He says softly, almost a whisper.

"You gonna ask her out?" Lance asked.

"Are you kidding me? It's hard to even go close to her" He scoffs. "She wouldn't accept me anyway"

"Coco, how do you know if you don't try? If you like her enough, take the risk! Who knows, she might like you" Lance exclaimed. It reminded him of himself, and how scared he was when he did anything with his previous girlfriends. He was scared to make the first move. He was scared they didn't like him.

That's probably why he stopped dating.

"Since when are you good at relationship advice?" Marco jokes.

"The beginning" He jokes back.

Keith goes to the roof first thing after the lunch bell rang. It was like a race, to see who's up first. This time, Lance won.

"Goddamn" Keith huffed out, as he pushed open the door. He was almost out of breath. "I win this round, Keith! That's 2 to 1 now!" Lance cheered, throwing his hands in the air. He sure loves winning. Keith didn't care if he lost, as long as he gets to see more of that confident smile.

"We should make a bet" He suggested.

"What bet?"

"If I win the most this week, you'll have to pay for my lunch next week," Keith said, smiling devilishly. Lance gasps dramatically. "Then, if I win, you'll have to do my laundry for a week!" Lance shouts back.

"You got yourself a deal, McClain"

Keith shakes Lance's hand. Totally not just to touch his hands again. Lance smiles with determination, and his handshake was tight. After a while, they don't let go. It was like they were glued together. Keith didn't want to let go. Lance looked at Keith's eyes, his eyes were roaming everywhere on his face, but it always goes back to his eyes.

"You have pretty..."Lance mumbles. "Eyes"

Keith blinks. "You too" He whispers back. They stay in silence, soaking in each of their features. Keith felt a huge urge to grab his face and kiss him senseless, but his hands won't move.

The bell rings. They both jerked back, feeling lost and confused. What happened?

"Come on," Lance says, holding out one hand. Yesterday, Keith brought him to the diner. Now it's Lance's turn. "Do you trust me?" His voice was low.

"Aladdin?" Keith chuckled. Lance has lost count of how many times his heart has skipped a beat. It was performing gymnastics in there. This is not good for his weak heart.

They walked down the streets, talking about school and life. Keith chatted excitedly when they talked about space. His eyes sparkle in a way Lance has never seen before, filled with big, ambitious dreams.

Keith wants to go to space. He's fascinated with stars, planets and the endless space out there. He loves milkshakes and is a fan of scones. His first concert was Green Day, and he used to play the drums.

Lance memorizes every single detail.

Keith was brought to a library. It was a small one, and it didn't look like the other libraries he went. It was old, small and on the edge of the neighborhood. There was hardly anybody there, Lance and Keith were the only people there. "Go in" Lance whispers, pushing him in.

Keith didn't expect the inside to be so different. It was clean, furnished and it felt like… home. Keith felt warm inside, even if there were air conditioners. Lance smiles broadly, opening his hands wide. "Welcome to Maria's Library!" He says, pointing to the librarian at the side. She nods, pushing her finger to her lips to shush him. He smiles apologetically and yanked Keith to the bookshelves. Keith skimmed through some of the books, listening to the satisfying sound of crinkling yellow pages. These books were ancient.

"See anything you like?"

Yeah, you. "This seems interesting," He says, holding a book in his hand. The Great Expectations. Lance shoots his a smirk. "Didn't know you were into romance" Keith's eyes widen. It's romance…? "It is?" Keith said, flipping over the book to scan through the synopsis. It doesn't hint at anything romantic…

"I promise I won't tell anyone of your secret hobby" Lance jokes, whispering into his ear. Keith could his warm breath blowing into his ear. Lance is so close. Too close. "Like yours?" Keith jokes back. Lance squawked with amusement, pretending to be offended dramatically. Keith laughs quietly, remembering they were in a library. Lance, however, must have forgotten, because he starts shooting back insults loudly.

"You and your stupid mullet hair, looking all pretty and always perfect. I hate your hair"

It came out more like a compliment than an insult. "Aww… you think I'm pretty?" Keith teases, leaning closer to Lance. Lance looks away, but his hand travels up to his face. Keith forgets everything at once. His brain hay-wired and his mind go blank. Lance hold his cheek in his hand, now stopping his line of insults. They were both silent as before.

Keith can't stop looking into Lance, and Lance can't take his eyes off him.

Lance releases his hand from Keith's face after waking up from his daydream. Even though he never wants to wake up from this hypnotizing dream. He pokes his cheeks, patted his shoulders, and goes to the counter. Maria looks from her book, smiling fondly at Lance.

Lance knows this library for years. He goes here all the time and goes away to his dreamland in books. He ventures into the wild, enter a wizarding school, fall in love with magical nymphs and mermaids, save the world. The books help him escape. Help him have hope, and to have imaginary friends and lives.

"Just these books, thank you. " Lance says, pulling out his library card. Maria slides the books to her, raising her eyebrow when she sees a book. "The great expectations…? Didn't you just read this one?" She asked. Keith walks over, overhearing their conversation.

"What's that? McClain reading romance?" Keith taunts in a playful way. Maria cocks his head to the side, her eyes switching from Lance to Keith to the books in her hand. She raises her eyebrows at Lance, smiling the smile of a devil. Lance knew what was coming. Before he could shut her up, she said it. "Lance is one of our most frequent borrowers of romance novels" Lance groans internally, knowing that Keith won't let him rest after this.

"Pfft, really?" Keith laughs maniacally, and Lance just wants to crawl in a hole to die.

Maria, you're dead to me.

"So what if I like romance?" Lance says, eyes darting away from him and shoving the books into his bag. He was a flustered mess. And Keith can't stop laughing. Maybe it was because the so-called "flirty playboy" is actually someone who reads amorous fiction. Keith loves it. He loves that Lance wasn't just some thirsty pleasure seeker and that he was someone who actually has a different side to him.

"Lance, I don't really care if you like it or not," Keith said.

"You're just so different. I've always known you as a flirtatious teenager who can't control his urges. But now, it feels like you have more life than what you portray" He continued.

Lance looks at Keith for a while, his expression unreadable.

"You too, bad boy." He says, his pinkie finger touching Keith's. "You're an actual softie"

Keith scoffs. He hooks Lance's pinkie finger with his, their arms were so close that they touch. Lance smiles contently, resting his head on Keith's shoulder. Keith sighs.

"You know, I use to hate you" Lance whispers under his breath.

Keith turns.

"But now I can't remember why"


	7. Fear

Keith goes crimson red. Lance thinks it's adorable, that Keith gets so embarrassed easily. Lance is suddenly reminded of how much he loves him. It's almost too much to bear.

Lance loves evenings. When the sky turns from color to color, from light to dark. Lance loves everything about it. And now, he's here with Keith, it couldn't get any better. They smile giddily, laughing in the quiet street.

"You really know how to charm someone" Keith laughs, his cheeks rosy red.

Lance is in love with him. He can't take this anymore. He loves Keith Akira Kogane.

* * *

"Why don't you sing more, Lance?" Keith asks.

Lance pauses. He frowns a little, his lips tightened into a thin line. It looked like he was holding his breath.

He exhales, showing Keith a sad smile.

"I used to sing a lot, every day. When I came home from school, I would find papa and we would sing songs and melodies together. He… he played the guitar, and…" Lance chokes a sob, his voice breaking when he mentioned his father. He became sorrowful, but there was a small smile on his face when he talked.

"He taught me to play the guitar"

"And I remember… he would tap to the beat, singing along to _our_ song"

Lance sniffs. Keith lets him cry on his shoulders, hugging him closely and giving him soothing rubs. Keith tells him that it was okay, that he could bawl his eyes out, and that Keith would still give him a shoulder to cry on. Lance squeezes into a tight embrace, biting his lip and closing his wet eyes.

"Every time I sing… I think of him"

* * *

Keith fondles his cheek, and Lance buries his face into his warm touch. Lance has never seen this side of Keith before, an affectionate, loving boy who was deeply hurt. Lance smiles. He was so glad to meet Keith because every minute he spends with him was so liberating.

He does something that startles Keith. He gives him a soft kiss on his palms, trailing his light pecks to his face. Keith's face heats up, and he giggles at every smooch. Lance smiles, his heartbeat getting faster by the second.

"I love you," Lance blurts out. He slaps a hand on his mouth when he realized what he just said. _Oh shit, oh shit…. _It's way too early to say those three words, especially when they haven't gone on any dates yet. He majorly fucked up.

But then he felt something soft on his lips.

* * *

Keith kisses him.

Their lips touch for the very first time but joining together like two missing pieces of a puzzle. Keith waited so long for this, longer than he expected it to be. Lance must have wanted it too because he kissed him back fiercely. Lance's lips were as cool as ice, and his touches gentle and comforting.

* * *

Keith feels a little light-headed. He can't believe he kissing Lance McClain, he can't forget the words said by him.

_"I love you"_

Keith melts at the thought of it.

"Love you too" Keith answers, after a long make-out session. Keith didn't mind as long as it was Lance, he would kiss him a hundred times and he won't ever get sick of it.

Keith sends Lance home after a while, seeing the sky getting dimmer. Lance freaked out about going home or he'll get the 'stares of death' from his mother.

Lance was undeniably adorable. Keith knew that by now, but he still had to remind himself to calm down every time he sees Lance.

Keith holds his hands one more time, before placing a quick peck on his cheek. Lance waves as he goes into his house, smiling fondly and lovingly as Keith did the same.

Hey

Who's this?

Your new boyfriend

That's funny, I don't have a boyfriend

You wound me

Only the kiss of life can save me now

In your dreams, lover boy

Oh, you'll definitely be in my dreams tonight ;-)

TMI

Goodnight, lover boy Lance

You too, bad boy Keith

* * *

Lance forgets about everything after that. All he sees was Keith, all he smells was the smell of his scented shower gel. He hears Keith's voice every now and then, intoxicating his thinking and movements.

Is this what it feels like when you fall in love?

The soft and light kisses still linger on Lance's lips. He can't stop turning into a blushing mess when he thinks of it. While Lance's lips are cool, Keith's was like burning flames. Together, they were almost perfectly matched.

"Lance!" Pidge shouts at the top of her lungs. She never cared about the attention she got. Always doing things that attract attention.

"Huh?" Lance said, his mind groggy from his daydream.

"You have been zoning out these few days," Hunk said, worriedly. Lance hears something in his brain click, and he realizes that he's been avoiding his closest friends. For a boy.

Lance chuckled awkwardly. "Haha, I was just... thinking about stuff" He explained, though not in detail about what he was thinking about. His gut wrenched, and he feels queasy just thinking about telling them.

Because you see, he hasn't come out.

* * *

It was the summer of 2013, the year in which Lance started to develop feelings for another boy. For the first few days, he was confused and questioned himself every day. Then, he found out that there are people like him, and that he wasn't the only person who feels this peculiar way.

He actually plans to come out every Christmas, for every year, but failed every time. Maybe he was clinging onto some hope that his family might, might just accept him for who he is.

Fear arrives, slowly and painfully. He hears the words louder than anything else, carefully than any other words.

"It's a sin."

"I disowned him, of course"

"He can never step foot in my house again, not with that _pest_" His aunt announces like it was a good thing.

Lance's heart stops. He leaves the room immediately, his heart hammering against his chest. His fingers go numb, his mind becomes foggy. _I don't want to leave my family. _

He hates family gatherings from the beginning. Always had hatred for it.

He hates his nosy aunt and her lousy attitude.

He never noticed her young boy sitting in the corner, sipping orange juice, closeted from the world.

* * *

His father leaves him after that. Leaves his whole family, in fact.

He was torn apart. Couldn't speak for days, and it hurts to see his mamá cry. He was very close to him.

He was angry, frustrated. He threw his books, trashed his room, throwing small tantrums. And then after that, he would bawl. Cry day and night, praying that he would come back home. It was an endless cycle.

He never sang. Not until Keith came into his life.

He makes Lance happy and let him believe that he could be joyful once more. He makes Lance's heart pound and takes his breath away. Lance wants to sing again because of Keith, and instead of a terrible memory of singing, he could feel at home when he sings.

Lance shuts his locker door. He turns to a sea of people, hoping to find a certain boy. He hears people chattering away around him like they were unaware of his existence. He laughs inside when he overheard it.

"Lance hasn't been as flirty as usual"

"Yeah, usually he has a chick with him"

"Maybe he's given up trying"

A few snickers came from them.

Lance gave them a deadpanned look. He wonders if they knew it was him behind them. He doesn't really care anymore. He's known for that.

He lost interest.

He doesn't feel the same way he did when he spots a girl. He was committed, only focusing on one bad boy.

* * *

Keith sees Shiro at the corner of his eye. Shiro was chatting away with the Student Body President, Allura. She had glimmering white dyed hair, and her skin was cocoa brown. She was gorgeous. Keith doesn't know much about her, except that there was a rumor that Lance had a crush on her.

Sources say that he was high on sugar when he said that.

Allura was mysterious. She rarely talked about her family, and never brought anyone to her house. Shiro didn't care about that though, because he's still stuck with her after years.

She helped him come out. And hooked him up with his current boyfriend, Adam. Keith was thankful for that.

The only problem was that Allura hates Keith.

* * *

"Keith! Over here!" Shirt shouts in the hallway. Keith turns to see Allura, who was practically scowling at him. He darts his eyes away from her and dragged his heavy feet to them.

"Hey," Keith said, his hands in his pockets.

"It's been...quite some time since we talked," Allura said, her voice cold.

"Yeah... " Keith said, looking at Allura face. Shiro didn't say anything, which made it awkward. Maybe she hated him because he dealt with smoking and school fights, it was easy to understand why she loathed him. Her dad was killed by a rebellious teenager. Everybody here knows that.

Alfor was a well-known police captain. He was loved by everyone, except for the criminals he put away. And he loved Allura, as much as she loves him.

Keith doesn't remember much of that day. He was young, unable to understand the meaning of loss. Allura hadn't said anything about it, only nodding and hanging her head with sorrow. He never saw her cry, even at his funeral. Her eyes were empty, and Keith could sometimes see her eyelashes glimmering with tears.

Shiro finally breaks the silence.

"Hey, Lur. Did you know Keith's quitting?" Keith's eyes widen. _Why did you have to say that?_

Allura's expression didn't change a bit. "Good for him," She said, clicking her tongue. She refuses to even acknowledge Keith as he was entirely invisible. Keith doesn't feel bad or worse since he's accustomed to this horrible feeling.

With every second that passed, the heavy atmosphere becomes more awkward. Keith wanted to fly off, leave this place forever. Allura was still casting him mean looks, and Shiro's done a perfect job of ignoring the situation.

Keith scratches his head full of hair. "I need to get going now, I guess I'll see you next time...?" Keith blurted out a statement that sounded more like a question. Allura didn't reply, but she gave a slight nod. Shiro smiled cheerfully and said a "Bye, Keith" back.

* * *

"Hey," Lance said, inching closer to Keith. They were someplace different now, looking at the sunset across the city. The cliff was perfect for them, and Lance loved it.

The view was gorgeous, like an empty canvas painted with magnificent colors.

"Hmm?" Keith hums out. They held milkshakes in their hands, sipping onto the cool, creamy and sweetening concoction.

"I won that bet, didn't I?" Lance says.

Keith laughed. "We were having a moment," He said, pushing him playfully. Lance smiles. "Looks like someone needs to do my laundry~," He said like he was singing a song. Keith didn't mind the teasing. In fact, he might actually like it.

"Luckily, I haven't washed my clothes in weeks." Lance cackled. Keith frowns, crossing his arms into a tight knot. _Him and his bets... _

"Humph, do you only think about bets?" Keith huffed in mild annoyance.

Lance finds it amusing. "I think about you too" He mumbled softly, and Keith could barely hear it. Lance smiles in a goofy and cute manner, making Keith's heartthrob. Keith sends a crooked smile back, awkward but cute in its own way.

"Come here, you," Lance says, pulling Keith close into a tight huddle. Keith buries his face into Lance's soft jacket, getting a hint of Lance's seaside scent. Keith feels delicate touches on his back, and it went up all the way to his spine.

He never wants to leave this lovely embrace.

* * *

"Bye, Lance," Keith said, waving his gloved hands at him.

"Bye"

Lance blew an air kiss at him, and Keith reacted by rolling his eyes. "You're so cheesy" But he caught it anyway.

"Better get used to it!" Lance shouted, signing off.

* * *

Keith, can I ask you something?

Yeah?

How did you come out to your family?

Lance

You haven't come out?

I'm scared, Keith

I don't think I can tell anybody

It's okay, Lance

I'll be with you till' the end

* * *

Lance reaches for the yellow, crinkled picture in the photo album. He sees a scared, young, precious boy, and he almost looks like him. His hair poked at all sides, and he wore simple clothes and a bright smile. Lance used to know him. Talked at most family gatherings. They don't meet often, but they spent every moment together when they meet up. He would bring him to play, holding handmade wooden swords and pretending to be vicious pirates.

Alex Sanchez.

Kicked out of his own family at 16, and never came back again. He never came to look for Lance, to go back to the old times. He never even called, like he just vanished from the face of the earth. Lance didn't call him either. He was too scared to face it, not even able to imagine how different he will be. Alex dropped out of school, lost his future just like that. His parents never bothered him, not even sending a penny to help him financially.

Alex was just a kid. He was too young.

Lance tucked the photo back in, sliding the book back into the shelve. He switches on his phone, and pressed 'contacts'. He saw it, written in bold and it immediately caught his eye. _Alejandro. _His thumb floats above the call button, and his eyes gloom over the screen. He was feeling a whirlwind of emotions. Mostly fear, and sadness.

He presses it anyway.

A/N: Get ready cause' the angst is coming!


End file.
